A fallow site on Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West in the Western Cape that was previously used for plums has been transformed into a subterranean wonder.
Five metres below the ground and accessed by a curved ramp that is also wheelchair friendly, a 24m-long excavated chamber is revealed. This is Earthbox, which the organisers claim is a world first.
Reaching Earthbox is by means of a tractor-drawn trailer that passes Bon Chretien pear orchards and sunflower fields on land previously dedicated to Chardonnay grapes.
Best known for its wine production, Lourensford also has 90ha to apples and pears, 85ha to plums and 42ha of vineyards. About 22ha of avocado are also part of its 4 000ha area on a historic farm, originally owned by Willem Adriaan van der Stel and established in 1700.
Lourensford has an on-site cellar with wine-tasting and sales facilities, but the other fruit is marketed through New Vision, based in Durbanville in the Western Cape.
The Lourensford Market is a popular foodie experience and the Millhouse Kitchen is also acclaimed. The Coffee Roasting Company as well as Lourensford’s sculpture-rich gardens and retail outlets all contribute to making this a destination farm.
But, since November 2023, Earthbox has brought an entirely different focus. According to Lourensford general manager Koos Jordaan, the estate is proud that such an initiative was born and bred in South Africa. “Earthbox is an attraction of a high international standard. The Dream Commission, the people who conceptualised and manage Earthbox, have given us all an even greater appreciation of the earth beneath our feet,” he says.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 16, 2024 من Farmer's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 16, 2024 من Farmer's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
